Philippine E-Journals

PRELIMINARY ASSESSMENT OF COPPER BIOACCUMULATION IN SOIL USING EUDRILUS EUGENAE

Julie Anne Pearl Afos | Martina Alexandria Balibay | Maxine Jelores Geli | Gaenamreh Lorenzo | John Enrie May Bituin | Maria Julia Serino | Louie Ian B. Mariano

 

Abstract:

A wide range of pollutants have been affecting soil for the past years. These pollutants have led to major disturbances in communities and populations of soil organisms, as well as their function in the soil ecosystem. Studies have shown that earthworms are considered to be convenient indicators of land use and soil fertility for they are sensitive to toxic chemicals. According to Weltje (1998 as cited in Dai, 2004), “different factors interact to determine the amounts of pollutants accumulated by earthworms. The affinity of metals for soil constituents is the primary element to take into account. The distribution of metals among the soil phases is important for the bioaccumulation by earthworms as the main pathways for chemical absorption are the skin for soluble elements, gut transit and digestion.” This study aims to identify the effectivity of Eudriluseugenae in the bioaccumulation of heavy metals in an artificially contaminated soil and its significant difference in different levels of concentration in each sample. A total mass of 4.3g to 4.5g of 7 starved earthworms exposed for seven days to artificially prepared copper sulfate contaminated soil samples with concentration range of 1000 ppm to 5000 ppm. Soil samples were then tested for copper (Cu2+) ions concentration using Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP). The results showed that there was a range 92-94 percent removal of copper in the contaminated soil which shows the effectivity of Eudriluseugeniae in bioaccumulating heavy metal. This proves that earthworms are important organisms that may enhance the function of the soil ecosystem. It is also to note that higher concentrations may highly increase the chance of greater consumption of heavy metals.